Lehmann not bothered by record

Friday 13 January 2006 00:09 BST

Jens Lehmann insists the result is all that matters when Arsenal take on Hamburg in the opening game of their Champions League Group G campaign on Wednesday night.

The German stopper - sent off early on during the Gunners' defeat by Barcelona in last season's final - has not been beaten in European action for 763 minutes. However, Lehmann will not let improving those statistics alone weigh on his mind in the AOL Arena.

He declared: "I would be sad to let in a goal, but not because of the record - you always want to play without conceding a goal. This record was set as a team, and also the team has conceded, so it does not really matter whether I am in goal or not."

Lehmann was able to put the disappointment of Paris last May behind him to help Germany reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.

The 36-year-old admits it will be a "special" occasion to return to home soil with his club.

"It is only the second time I have played in Germany with Arsenal, so it is something very special for me to come back here. Passing the giant blue goal on the lake as we came into town shows the memories of the World Cup are still here.

"I now have to give a lot of autographs when I am in Germany, and people still have a good feeling playing here, but it is not only me, it is the whole squad."

Lehmann missed the first leg of Arsenal's 3-0 qualifying win in Zagreb through suspension, and then sat out the return match at the Emirates Stadium.

Manager Arsene Wenger will need the German's experience, as he is also missing captain Thierry Henry. The Arsenal skipper has been left behind after aggravating a foot injury he sustained while away on international with France.

Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor are again likely to lead the attack, with England Under-21 forward Theo Walcott and new signing Julio Baptista other options from the bench.